Spay Day

FERAL CAT STUFF.

So, I found and contacted a Feral Colony Trap-Neuter-Return program in Baton Rouge today (Thank you, CLAUDIA, for pointing me in the right direction). Elaine, my contact with the program, has been so so helpful. My vet charged a small fortune for Pearl's spaying/overnight stay and I have been thinking all week what if I have to come up with four small fortunes to have these cats fixed?. So, a sigh of relief.

I can rent a trap through the program for Farrah. Since she is still nursing Elaine thought it would be best to wait a few weeks. I would be able to sign them up for the July 13th LSU Spay Day (the local university vet school). They spay/neuter 100 stray/feral cats on one day of each month through Cat Haven. It is $25 per cat, and that includes shots (at least the rabies shot) too.

I asked her about trapping. I am very concerned about this. I am scared of trapping raccoons and not Farrah on that day. I am scared Farrah will have a nervous breakdown and when we release her she will be scarred for life and runaway, more scared of people than before.

Elaine said, "As to trapping coons, etc., it is highly possibly and probable that you will. I trapped a location across the river in West Baton Rouge Parish recently; and, yes, we did get coons. You just have to "be brave and release them"!!! When trapping, never leave traps unattended for any period of time because once you trap a cat, you should cover the trap immediately to help calm the cat. Also, it is dangerous to leave them in a trap out in the open because of other wild animals and dogs."

Which made me nervous, but I have to try. I wish there was some other way. I am hoping the kittens will start becoming comfortable with me, and if they let me I will place them into a crate instead of trapping. This is a goal with them now.
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Also, she mentioned the notching, which I think Farrah and Sufi will both need (Sufjan isn't feral but probably an abandoned stray, and I am waiting to hear back from her about including him on the last for the July 13th Spay Day). She said, "Also, it is a good idea to "notch" the ear of all ferals that are sterilized. This is strictly your decision but it does help others to know that the cat is part of a colony and has already been sterilized. Also, if a notched cat is picked up by Animal Control, they will call Cat Haven to see if we have a record of the cat and which colony it belongs to.

I am particularly comforted by the Animal Control calling Cat Haven part.
I feel so hopeful about all this now and will be so happy to have it all done and behind us.
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I don't have a feral colony yet. And the talk of this could-be-one-day-colony (but probably-won't-be-colony-since I am sterilizing them early on) conjures up visions of me (in the future) with long gray frizzy hair sitting in my "overgrown" cottage garden full of native plants for the insects and hummingbirds surrounded by 20+ spayed/neutered hobo cats as my neighbors rally together to have me kicked out of the neighborhood because the lack of curb appeal, the presence of feral cats and nectar seeking bees is bringing down their property value. ha.

I really am becoming more and more disgruntled with living in a neighborhood anyway (and for more reasons than things like this). Dreams of the country, with the closest neighbor being half a mile or more, are becoming more and more frequent these days....
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